Release: Dorset PCC calls for tougher action on drug driving
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner has called for tougher action to tackle drug driving after new national figures show the growing toll of deaths caused by motorists under the influence of drugs.
National reports have highlighted data which demonstrates fatalities linked to drug-driving have now overtaken those involving drink driving in some parts of the UK. This data follows previous calls from the PCC for greater sanctions for perpetrators convicted of drug and drink driving.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, David Sidwick, who is also the APCC Joint Lead for Substance Misuse and Addiction said “Since becoming PCC, I have continually raised concerns about drug driving. Too often this reckless behaviour is treated as a secondary issue instead of being given the attention it deserves to make a real difference.
“Some people wrongly believe that driving under the influence of drugs, for instance smoking cannabis before driving — even for a quick school run — is harmless. The truth is it puts their lives, their children’s lives, and the lives of other road users at risk. Just as drink driving is recognised as unacceptable, drug driving must be treated the same. Driving under the influence is not just breaking the law - it’s putting your community in danger.
“In Dorset, alongside prominent drink and drug drive campaigns and roadside breath and drug testing, our Roads Policing Team are focused on the Fatal Five and keeping our roads safe for all users through enforcement, education and prevention tactics.”
The Department for Transport (DfT) report indicates that in 1 in 10 fatal accidents involved people impaired by illegal substances, an increase from 6.2 per cent in 2022. In Dorset, the Force recorded 554 drug driving arrests in 2024, up from 486 in 2023 and 286 in 2022, reflecting both increased enforcement and ongoing prevalence.*
The PCC continued: “These latest national figures are deeply alarming and show why I have previously called for the law to go further in punishing this behaviour, sending a unequivocal message to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
“As part of my work leading the Combating Drugs Partnership in Dorset which focuses on prevention, enforcement and treatment, I know the complexities behind these figures and the behaviour involved. That’s why, together, with Dorset Police and our partners, I am determined to strengthen efforts to prevent substance-impaired driving, hold offenders to account, and support those left behind. Together we can all play our part in bringing down these figures, challenge those behaving recklessly on our roads and prevent heartbreak for more families.”
Please note the DfT reference to ‘contributory factors’ as highlighted in this report.
*Drugs in reported road fatalities in Great Britain, data to 2023 - GOV.UK.